Harvard Business School Knowledge and Library Services

At Harvard Business School, the historic Baker Library’s Department of Knowledge and Library Services needed a space to meet their growth and changing business model. The department employs transient professionals as well as full time staff who juggle a combination of contemplative and collaborative workloads. LLB designed the space within Baker Library for their department conscientious of their need for both permanent and flexible spaces. The only dividing walls were envisioned as glass curtains with enlivened obscuring graphics, loosely designating zones of activities without imposing the bulk of typical plaster walls. Workstation wall heights were designed as low and permeable, featuring solid zones where privacy was most needed. Workstation size was designed as minimal, offering nearby closeting for background binders and bulk of more permanent employees. Clusters of workstations were served by adjacent break out collaborative zones accommodating groups of 2-5 personnel. These zones featured mobile furnishings and writing and posting wall space. Large meetings were accommodated in a new open conference and meeting zone that was furnished specifically to their webinar meeting style. The solution broke down the traditional boundaries of the cubicle and integrated collaborative zones throughout to give this group infinite flexibility.